The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-08-04
HowELLs. BoYHooD.
The story of the HoAssisk litsas Prinss

was in the early spring after our first
winter in the log cabin, or in the early
part of the second winter. which found
us still there, that it was justly thought
fit should leave these vain delights
and 90 to earn some money in a print
ing Office in X. Twas, though SO
young, good compositor, swift and
clean, and when the foreman of the
Office appeared one day at our
cabin, and asked If could come and
take the place of delinquent hand,
there was no question with any one
but myself that Imust 60. For me.
terrible homesickness fell instantly
upon me-a homesickness that al
ready, in the mere prospect Of absence,
pierced my heart, and filled my throat,
and blinded me with tears.
The foreman wanted me to go back
with him in his buggy, but . days
grace was granted me, and then my
older brother took me to e., where
he was to meet my father at the rail-
road station on his return from Gin
cinnati. It had been showing, in the
soft, Southern Ohio fashion, but the
clouds had broken away and the even
ing fell in q clear sky, apple-green
along the horizon, as we drove on.
This color Of the sky must always be
associated for me with the despair that
then filed my soul, and which was
Constantly swallowing down with great
grilps. We jokea; and got soms7miser-
able laughter out of the efforts of the
horse to free himself from the snow
that balled in his hoofs, but Suffered
all the time an anguish Of homesiek-
ness that now seems incredible. All
the time had every fact Of the cabin
life before me; what each OF the chill
dren was doing, especially the younger
ones, and what, above all, my mother
was doing, and how atevery moment
she was looking; saw the wretched
little phantasm Of myself moving about
there.
The editor to whom my brother de-
livered me over could not conceive OF
me as tragedy; he received me as II L
were the merest commonplace, and de-
livered me in turn to the good man
with whom was to BOARD. There
were half q dozen school girls BOARD
ing there. too, and their sayety when
they came il added 70 my deselation.
The man said supper was about
ready, and he reckoned would get
something to eat if / looked out for
myself. Upon reiectieu, Janswered
that I thoug ght l did notswaat any sup
per, and that I must go to find my
brother, whom I had to tell something.
i found him at the station and told him
Twas going home with him. He tried
to reason with me, or rather with my
frenzy of honlesfckness; andI agreed
to leave the question open till my faith
er came; but in my own mind lit was
closed
My father suggested, however, some
thing that had not occurred to either
OF US; wes should both stay. This
seemed possible for me; but not at that
g-house-not within the sound
of the laughter of those girls! We
went to the hotel, where we had beef
steak and ham and eggs and hot bis
cult every morning for breakfast. and
where we paid - apiece for the week
we stayed. At the end of this time the
editor had found another hand, and
we went home, where / was welcomed
as from ayear's absence. D
Again Twas called 10 suffer this tf4al
the chief trial of my boyhood-but 1t
came in mileler form, aud was light
ened to me not only by the experience
of survival from it, but by various cir
cumstances. This time / went to
D., where. one of my uneles was
still living. and he somehow learned
1.-THE miserF was in, and babe me come
and stay with him while I remained in
D.. / was very fond OF him and OF
the gentle creature, his wife, who stood
| to me for all that was naturally and
| conventienally refined, q type OF gra-
cious loyeliness and worldly splendor.
They had an only child, to whom
her cousins presence in the house was
ascunstanf + ;ox..A Orer ltherna All huns
the shadow of fraoile health and Ilnol
hark 81 tbe,, fhrS,,ob fha h.io 10 ef thai,
early death: but the remembrance cal
not make them kinder tbau sthey reall,
were. With all that / was homesief
fstill. Hell aasleep with the radiant
IMAGE of onr loo cabin before INV ewes
L ana Il awpke with INV heart like iead
n INV breast
did NOT see how I cop,d oet tbron q,
the dav and I baran 4 v;tS ,o;sara 81.
ttears I had fo,,ass stbs+ bv ~ a,;nt;ng :
Uood deal Of u,at..r of nv G,aaIs + COLI
feen down tba sohs for fba tin,e heinr
and nracticed this sievice to the s,,7.
prise and alarm 81 nv relatives who
were troubled with the spectacle of my
unnatural thirst.
Sometimes ] left the table and ran
out for burst Of tears behind Tho
bonso. oy,,.,, ,,;,r,,t &c.. do,L or;aS
tbere aiona R5fI @ eoaia ~ not vbnII. S.
hide mv s,,ffer;nc and snnnosa tba,
after awhile The ssiehte eefs n Iaca,,,e' in.
tolerable. At aSv rate blessed
evening came. when. refnrninr from,
work. found my b1ptber waiting fo,
me e-at INV npcle's hansas nd tha nav,
morn;nc ,vassef ont a. 6a, IN tLe
keen silent dark before the Noxan,he,
dawn - e---~o' =.
We were botlsss nu,ountaa san tba ;sal;o.
footed mare + beh;nd nv brother with
INV arms .arounri +; ;n1ta keaIs On. 'baa.
ter. and 40 we rode ont of the sleen;n .
town and into the liftino sl,ad aw IF tbs
woods. They na;rht Rave swarm sd
with GHOSTS or Indisnss n should : ~ q
have cared. r = $3.50; ~ ho,ns
Bv-and- Inv as We rode On tba b;rds
beoa n T., eaii one anofhar fro,,,s fhs;1
dreams: the ouails whistlea from tbe
stubbIe fields. and the crows rlan,ored
from the tons of the deadeni,,g The
| sn,,i,rols ,oa.d 49,, a. a.